I've Been Blessed!

As most of you know, Dave and I have been blessed with the news that we are going to be parents. We're so excited, and yet very nervous at the same time.

Today (or yesterday-we're still in negotiations) marks the end of week 13, start of week 14. It's hard to believe there is a little teeny-tiny-einsy-weensy human being in my belly. I thank God everyday for the miracle he is letting us experience.

As of today...here's what I know...
"If you could peek inside yourself now, you'd see a baby the size of your clenched fist. As fetal development continues, your baby also has the coordination, strength, and smarts to wiggle his or her fingers and toes and even suck a thumb."

I mean really, how cool is that? It's a bit curious, however, when you really think about it. I just wonder whose fist they are referring to? Mine? Dave's? A Giant's? A dwarfs? There could be a lot of wiggle room in that size reference...oh well...just another surprise waiting to be found out. I can't wait!

The Newest Piece for the Basement Gallery

Here is the newest painting to belong in the ever growing basement gallery. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that one day, my works will actually be good enough to hang upstairs...but probably not.

Some More Tranlsations...

Here are a few more new words that I learned while we were visiting Dave's family down in West Virginia...

A poke = a bag ex. Please pass me a brown paper poke to put this in.

A slurry line= black piping used to take away dirty water ex. That slurry line is used to get rid of the coal debris.

Ramp=a wild onion ex. Benjamin went up the mountain and picked some ramps.

Hill=Mountain ex. We need to go around the hill to get cell phone reception

Molly Moochers=Morel mushrooms ex. Benjamin also found some Molly Moochers up the hill that we can fry up for dinner.

Honey=Any person you are talking to, age does not matter ex. Hi ya Honey, how you doin' today?

Taters=potatoes ex. Ya'll want some fried taters for dinner?

Ohh...I have a lot to learn...

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Indiana Hoosiers

A conversation between Dave (my very Hoosier Husband) and Benjamin (Dave's very West Virginian 18 year old cousin) as I sit by and try to figure out what is going on.

Benjamin: "Ya'll fond of ramps?"
Me looking at Dave for translation help
Dave: "What'd ya say, bro?"
Benjamin: "Ya'll like ya some ramps?"
Me now swinging back and forth like I'm watching a ping pong match, still trying to figure out what is being said and how we should respond.
Dave, with a quizzical look on his face..."One more time, buddy..."
Benjamin: "Ramps...ya'll like ya some ramps?"
Dave: "You mean like bicycle ramps?"
Aunt Jorehetta who is standing near by: "Honey, they don't know what no ramps are..."
Benjamin, who is trying not to laugh at Dave's bicycle ramps comment: "Ramps...you know, wild onions...right up there on that there hill..."
Dave, who is feeling very embarrassed at getting wild onions and bicycle ramps confused: "Uh, yea, sure, we like ramps."

It took me three days to even fully follow a conversation down in West Virginia. Evidently, there seems to be a huge language barrier between West Virginia Mountaineers and Indiana Hoosiers.

Goodbye 20's, Hello 30's...

Oh wow. I thought this whole turning 30 thing would be okay. Suddenly, now that its arrived, its upon me, I'm just not real sure anymore. I think I may be stressing a little bit about entering this new era of my life. Entering this new decade, the 4th of my lifetime...I'm just not real sure it's what I want to do.

I mean, when I sit back and think, there's a whole lot that happened in my 20's that I'd like to remain with. There were some major world events. There were some very minor events that seemed like major world events. There were celebrations of all kinds. There were...well...here are some of the ones that stick out the most...

All things I got to witness/do/see when I was in my 20's...some great, some not so great...

• I became a wife
• I became an aunt
• I became a step mom
• I became a teacher
• I moved houses 4 times
• I won a trip to Disney World
• I've taught every grade 1-5, and even some 6th,7th, & 8th graders
• I became a stepdaughter
• I watched a tragedy at Columbine High School
• The first non-stop world trip taken in a balloon happened
• John Ritter died
• There was an attack of "Boy Bands" in America
• George W. Bush was sworn in as 43rd President
• Fred Rogers died and won't be our neighbor anymore
• The Harry Potter craze took over the nation
• US and Britian launched a war against Iraq
• The space shuttle Columbia exploded
• American Idol
• Johnny Cash died
• An enormous tsunami devastated Asia
• George W. Bush was re-elected
• Martha Stewart had to go to jail for 5 months
• Bob Hope died
• Janet Jackson had a wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl
• Cancer became the leading cause of death for people ages 85 and under, replacing heart disease
• Ronald Reagan, Christopher Reeve, Johnny Carson, Rosa Parks, Saddam Hussein and Steve Irwin all died
• I've met people that I know are going to be life long friends.
• The first African American man became the 44th President of the United States.
• I was baptized
• The Twilight Series over took the Harry Potter craze
• I traveled to other countries: Belize, Hondorus and Mexico
• I lost some friends
• I had a kidney stone
• I visited Washington D.C. for the very first time
• DVD player usage far outweighed VCR's
• There was a great attack on America and the Twin Towers no longer exist
• Gas was .99$ a gallon
• Gas was 3.99$ a gallon
• I became a "Lab Rat" for a medical study group
• New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina
• Life was overall pretty good!

I'm sure there are so many things I'm forgetting about my terrific twenties. I'm going to hold onto the hope that my thirties are just as thrilling...

Goodbye 20's...hello 30's!

Oh...And Also...

I've been known to do some pretty silly stuff to motivate my kids to read as much as possible...

Take for example the time I got slimed with all the food that falls from the sky in Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs.

Or the time I played Twister in ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and relish.

Or this year, when I may be turned into a human banana split.

Oh...and we often dress up too. Here's today's look:


This is Sarah (Alice in Wonderland) and I (Fancy Nancy) dressed up like our favorite book characters!

If You Build It...They Will Read...

So those of you that know me well, pretty much know that I love to read. I also try to instill that in my kiddos at school!

Ever since I started teaching, I've always participated in the I Love To Read Challenge hosted by WSBT. I was even once voted the most creative teacher and won a trip to Disney World through this awesome competition.

Our entire school has jumped on board and this has really taken off-school wide. We do our best to come up with a fun theme and then let the reading begin.

Well...this year, we are "Going Bananas For Books" and we're using a rain forest theme. Look at the amazing bulletin board our wonderful parents came up with to keep track of our progress.


For every 10 hours each class reads, they add a banana to their tree. We also have at least one piece of artwork from every child in our school on this wall. Isn't that amazing?